Vehicle instrument clusters found in automobiles, trucks, watercraft, and aircraft, for example, include a means of artificial backlighting. Artificial backlighting permits the operator and occupants of a vehicle to view the instrument cluster in conditions of low light or low visibility. Instrument clusters frequently include an illuminated warning system to indicate to the operator of the vehicle that a particular parameter reading, such as a speedometer, a tachometer, an oil pressure indicator, and a temperature indicator, for example, is not in a desired range.
Screen printing is currently utilized as a process to create an instrument cluster appliqué. The appliqué is disposed above an artificial backlighting to provide a desired illumination affect. Fade patterns in the illumination are achieved by printing a dot pattern on the appliqué using screen printing technology. The dot pattern is visible to the end customer, thereby causing a non-desirable appearance.
Warnings are currently achieved by separate warning lights, text displayed on a message center display, and by changing the backlighting attributes such as a solid backlighting, a flashing backlighting, and a color change of the backlighting, for example. Due to increased driver distractions, there is a need for a dynamic warning system to alert a driver of a vehicle condition.
It would be desirable to develop a backlighting system and a method for utilizing instrument cluster backlighting for a dynamic styling, wherein the dynamic styling provides the operator with a situational warning in response to a vehicle condition.